This invention relates to means for releasably attaching strands and comprises a series of loops attached to said strands at least one of said loops being attached to each of said strands and each loop being insertable into the next loop of the series and means for releasably securing the last loop in said series.
While this invention can be used to attach any types or number of strands it has been found most useful in parachutes.
In certain instances where it is important for a chutist or jumper to effect a release from the main parachute under emergency conditions, time is of the essence. For example, should the main chute malfunction, a chutist must be able to jettison that chute in order to make effective use of a reserve chute. In addition, when the chutist lands in water, or a tree, or is being dragged by a heavy wind on the ground, the ability to effect quick release from the parachute may be critical. In early developments of the parachute in order to effect such a release the jumper had to cut the webbing connecting the risers which connect the canopy of the parachute to the harness mounted on the jumper's body. With the advent of sport jumping and military parachuting the development of a mechanical connection adapted for quick release of the main chute from the chutist's body harness became a matter of much interest. Earlier mechanisms were designed primarily for use after the jumper had reached the ground. In those instances, the weight of the jumper was no longer being exerted on the webbing and, therefore, that manipulation of the release mechanism was facilitated. This mechanism was later adapted for use where deployment of a reserve chute was made necessary or desirable during fall. However, here the weight of the jumper makes the release difficult.
Prior mechanisms involve use of a mechanical linkage connecting the risers to the harness. Disconnect of such mechanisms required the exertion of a strong pull on a cable after removal of a metal cover plate enclosing the linkage system. Moreover, the links of such system remaining on the harness could flap loosely causing injury to the jumper or causing the fouling of the reserve chute.
With the advent of sport parachuting, and the adaption of parachuting to many other uses, (as i.e., firefighting, where the jumper must be extremely accurate to land at a predetermined spot and also where he carries must equipment and is at a heavy weight), accuracy is very important. Accuracy is achieved by jumping from the airplane at as low an altitude as possible and falling through the air the least amount of time so that there is a minimum of drift. Obviously, one must jump high enough so that if there is a main chute malfunction there is still time to jettison it and deploy the reserve chute. The present invention increases the safety of this kind of operation in that the time needed to release the main chute and deploy the reserve chute is reduced. There is also a much higher percent of accuracy because use of the present invention allows a jump at a much lower altitude as will be hereinafter explained.
A jumper could easily injure one arm upon departing the aircraft by either striking the aircraft with one of his arms, or in air having the aircraft hit him. Further, upon deployment of the main chute it is possible for the risers to become entangled in the jumpers limbs or extremities so that he cannot use them to effectively jettison the main chute. Thus, as in the prior art there is a mechanism over each arm, there would be difficulty in releasing the mechanisms that are located over the shoulder of the injured arm. And if because of the injury the jumper was only able to release one mechanism at a time the jumper would then be suspended from the other shoulder, while spinning and twirling. Reaching up and releasing himself from the other riser using the remaining mechanism would be almost impossible.
Another disadvantage is decision time. That is, if the chutist has a malfunction, he must decide whether he has enough time to releae the main chute and then deploy the reserve chute. He may have come so close to the ground that he must take a chance and deploy the reserve chute immediately in order to save his life. He must thus take the chance that while the reserve chute will deploy effectively, as the main chute has not as yet been released, the reserve chute may get caught in it. In the present invention the main chute can be released so quickly and easily that the above problem is moot. Jettisoning the main chute, and deploying the reserve chute can be done with one motion. The release mechanism and reserve chute can be so incorporated that there is one rip cord to release the reserve chute and at the same time, or in sequence, jettison the main chute. There is now no decision time needed or wasted. Approximately 1000 feet of altitude is now not needed as a safety buffer time, or time is now not needed to perform main chute release by use of the main chute release mechanisms located over each shoulder, and then deployment of the reserve chute. Deployment and accuracy for the firefighter or the sport parachutist is therefore enhanced and the safety factor of being able to effectively deploy the reserve chute at lower altitude is maintained. Thus, one can jump lower, drift less, be more accurate, and still in an emergency be able to deploy the reserve chute in enough time for its use to be effective.
Another advantage of our invention is that training time is cut practically in half as one need not discuss with the student the decision factors of when or how to use the reserve chute as hereinbefore mentioned. The student need not be taught to take into account the sequence of deployment. He need not take the time to decide or to make a decision or to judge his height above the ground, as for example "Am I so close to the ground that I do not have the time to disengage myself from the main chute? Must I immediately deploy my reserve chute thus taking a chance of the reserve chute getting entangled with the main chute?" In our system, if he must deploy the reserve chute, all he need do is to pull the one handle and he is automatically and quickly released from the main chute and also has reserve chute deployment.
This invention successfully ends all of these problem areas. Additionally, military or sport parachutists for special reasons need to make high altitude jumps. The military uses high altitude jumps in that the friendly airplane invades the airspace of an enemy at an extremely high altitude so as to avoid detection and the jumper is released therefrom. The sport parachutist is jumping at a high altitude for the sake of the sport, or the parachutist may just be jumping in a cold climate environment. In all of these cases, the jumper would of necessity be wearing gloves or other cold weather protective gear. Clothed for this cold climate encounter, it would be difficult for the jumper to move or stretch upwards so as to reach the prior art mechanism, and if reached, it would also be difficult or combersome to engage the prior art mechanism with the hands and/or fingers covered. With the prior mechanisms, (1) the cover must either be pulled down and freed; (2) the finger must be inserted into the exposed cable; and (3) the cable must be pulled or activated. It is obvious then, that this mechanism and other mechanisms which are currently employed, all of which use basically a similar design system, are difficult to reach and operate if your hands are cold or have been exposed to cold, or if gloves are being worn.